An Ugly Yet Beautiful World - Extras
by Snivysaurus
Summary: Not everything is always what it seems. Follow these special POVs during moments that may or may not have occurred within the story to gain full knowledge on how tales were told through the eyes of another.
1. Into The Streets

_**Ed's POV (Recommended to be read after Chapter Two)**_

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The roaring noises of the outside world blasted into Ed's ears as he and Banzai were suddenly tossed outside the back door of their home. The two brothers landed on the rough concrete outside the back steps, the acrid scent of the alleyway behind the many series of homes hitting his nostrils. Ed scrambled to his feet with Banzai at his side, and the two gazed at their Upwalkers.

The female held onto the doorway firmly, her eyes glued to the two toms, while the male was carrying the cat bed that the two had shared inside their house. He lifted the large trash bin that they always disposed their waste in, and started to shove it inside.

"Hey, what are they doing to our bed?" Banzai asked in alarm, hesitantly padding towards the steps back into the home.

Ed merely whined in confusion. He didn't understand it either. He and Banzai had been sound asleep until their male Upwalker had scooped them up and thrown them outside. What are you doing Upwalkers? We need that to sleep! Ed barked at the Twolegs again, daring to take the first steps toward the door, Banzai at his heels, but their female Upwalker hissed at them. The two simultaneously flinched, and out of the corner of his eye Ed saw that their male Upwalker had finished throwing away their bed and had returned to his mate's side. He scolded the two cats and shooed them away with his forepaws.

"Why aren't they letting us back in?" Banzai glanced at Ed for some type of answer, but the tom merely shrugged in response. "Hey! Upwalkers! You must be confused. We didn't do anything wrong! We always stopped scratching your things when you told us not to…" he trailed off and looked up at them hopefully as he took another step forward.

The male Upwalker however growled and kicked out with his foot, striking Banzai in the flank. Ed watched in horror as he saw his brother go flying down the steps and land back on the ground with a thud. He growled softly and whipped his head back around to face their Upwalkers. What'd you do that for? Banzai was just trying to talk to you! he barked in anger and approached them, but the female's squeal made him halt in his tracks. She pulled out a glass bottle that carried the strong scent of the strange juice that the Twolegs drank, the one that made them act aggressive and angry. It was always during these times that both of their Upwalkers would kick at them at night, so did that mean they had been drinking it recently? No...Ed knew the scent of them when their personalities were different fairly well. Right now, they seemed as normal as ever, only strangely angry at the duo. The grey tom took a step back. His eyes widened as the female Upwalker drew back her paw and aimed the bottle right where he was standing.

"Watch out Ed!" Banzai called where he was struggling to his paws. Ed didn't need to be told twice. He let out a yowl and bolted off the steps that he was located on and off the side, straight to the ground. Just as he landed on his paws he heard the crash, the sound of the glass bottle breaking. He let out a sigh of relief as he didn't feel anything pierce his skin. He dared to peek above the steps to see that the bottle was in pieces, the clear stone scattered across the steps. Was she trying to kill me!?

"Ed, we have to get out of here, now!" Banzai scurried over to his brother, sheltering in the shadows that the staircase provided. Up above, the duo heard the pawsteps of their Upwalkers hurry back inside, followed by a loud slam of the door. "They don't want us here...we have to move in case they come back. Who knows what they might do?" he said in a nervous tone, nudging Ed away from the staircase.

Ed glanced back the doorway, baffled by what had just occurred. They had gone from living inside a house to getting kicked onto the streets, and for what, he didn't know. It made little sense. As he followed Banzai away from the alleyway and through the path in between in each house, they headed towards the main streets.

"Why did they kick us out? Did we do something we didn't know was bad?" Banzai asked in an obvious crestfallen tone. Unlike Ed, the tom was apparently guilty of something or another, even though there was nothing to be guilty of. Surely nothing they could have done would have deserved this as punishment?

Ed followed Banzai's lead as he lost himself in his thoughts. They couldn't have misbehaved and brought this upon themselves, otherwise Shenzi would be here with them. It was odd that their sister wasn't there as well. The grey tom paused as he bumped into Banzai's rump. His brother had stopped, staring out into the streets hesitantly.

Ed could see why he was reluctant. He himself was a bit fearful as well. From the large window in the living room, they had watched the outside world with wide curiosity, begging their mother to tell them about it, though she only ever obliged when Shenzi pressed her on the subject. They had been told the Large Twolegplace was vast and almost never-ending, but from the window it didn't appear as such. Now, it was a blatant reality. Though the streets were quieter than usual considering it was just barely dawn, it was still chilly whenever a monster did pass by. The sidewalks felt rough underpaw, and Ed raised his head as he saw the streetlights slowly blink out as the natural sunlight took over in illuminating the area. Like any cat, this place had drawn to their curious minds, but now that they were in it, with no place to return to, it was frightening. The outside world was much bigger to two, eight moon old cats. Ed shivered as a morning breeze ruffled their fur.

Banzai sat down where he stood, not yet on the main sidewalks yet a small distance away from the side of their former house at the same time. "What did we do Ed? I thought our Upwalkers loved us...they would always pet the three of us, and feed us, and even when Mama seemed a little strict with us, they would always be there to pet us when we were good…" he mumbled sorrowfully, his tail and ears drooping.

Ed barked softly, pressing against his brother reassuringly. I don't know Banzai. I'm sorry. As Ed did almost everyday, he cursed his speaking disability. All he could do was grunt or bark or whimper or make any other noise to try and communicate with his own species. Not to mention the first time he had seen his own reflection in the strange Twoleg glass, he noticed his eyes were strangely placed compared to the his mother and siblings. In a way, if either of them were to get kicked out for anything, maybe it would've been Ed considering he certainly was different from other cats, but why Banzai? He was no different from Shenzi and their mother...Or perhaps they both were. In a way, they didn't resemble the appearance of Zira at all. Could that be it? But if it really were, why would their appearance matter? They had still been good, well-behaved cats…

"Your Upwalkers don't love you. They never did," a low rumble caused both toms to flinch, pressing against each other as they looked towards the sound of the voice fearfully. Not a moment later did a large tom step out from out of the shadows slowly. Ed surveyed his appearance, and easily noted that there was one thing strikingly similar about him; he looked just like Banzai and Ed did, unlike their mother and Shenzi. He also attempted to relax a little once he saw that the large tom's claws' were sheathed, and that he didn't appear hostile. However, he was still a stranger, and he knew it mustn't be hard to tell that he and his brother felt out of place in their new terrain.

"W-Who are you? What gives you the right to say that about our Upwalkers? They're kind! They do love us!" Banzai said shakily, obviously nervous but still ready to defend those that had raised them alongside their mother.

The large tom just blinked at him. "If that were the case, then why would they kick you out?" he asked in an almost curious tone, tilting his head. When Banzai found himself at a loss for words, the tom continued. "I may believe that your Upwalkers were nicer than most, but in the end, they always kick us out. Only the Siamese cats get to stay inside," he muttered almost begrudgingly.

"Us?" Banzai blinked, exchanging a bewildered glance with Ed. "What do you mean? Us two and you?"

The large tom let out a snort of amusement. "No. I mean all of us. The outsiders. That's what you are, that's what I am, and that is what every cat on the streets in our home is known as. We are the mutants, the runts of the litters that don't deserve a home, because we aren't as pretty our brothers and sisters," he spat on the ground, seeming to bear a deeper hatred within. "I bet even your own mother shunned you from the day you were born…" he growled softly as he narrowed his eyes at the two toms.

Banzai opened his mouth to protest the tom's last statement, but fell silent once more. He and Ed exchanged another glance. Ed himself had wanted to defend their mother, but the more he thought about it, he started to wonder if Zira really had shunned them. It was one of those things one didn't really realize until someone blatantly told them. As he went through the memories of his kithood, he started to recall many events. Their mother whom they had blindly loved so dearly had had an obvious problem with her two sons, yet until now, Ed would've never have guessed the reason. She had never looked at either of them with pride or with true love and passion, not like she almost always did with Shenzi. They could do the exact same thing their sister did, yet they would never receive the same praise. Any request given to their mother would only be done if Shenzi had requested it as well. And deep, deep within the crevices of his memories, Ed thought he could just recall the worst of it all...Had Zira tried to deny them milk as kits? He could remember himself as a writhing bundle of fur next to his brother, the duo tapping their paws at their mother's stomach, trying to feed, only to receive sharp prods and hisses. It was only until the comforting paws of their Upwalkers had forced them closer did Zira unwillingly allow them to feed. That memory made it certain that their Upwalkers really did care for them...Yet why did they kick them out?

"What about our sister? What about Shenzi?" Banzai pressed, forcing Ed back to reality. The cross-eyed tom glanced at his brother and wondered if he too had started to recall the truth of the stranger's statement. Perhaps he did, but was merely forcing a change of subject to further deny it.

"You may as well consider her dead to you. She won't care about what's happened to you. They never do. After all, she will continue to live her luxurious life, without even attempting to try and bring you back into it. She'll just turn into the rest of her kind, only caring about the ones that look like her," the tom hissed, causing Ed's fur to flare up in offense.

Shenzi wouldn't do that! Zira may have shown dislike towards us, but our sister wouldn't know the difference! Ed barked at the large tom, curling his lips back in a snarl. He knew he couldn't properly convey his thoughts, but at least this stranger would understand how much he disagreed.

"Don't talk about our sister like that! She loves us...and we love her! She's not that cruel! She might not even know we're out here...she was sleeping when our Upwalkers grabbed us!" Banzai voiced Ed's own opinion pretty clearly, to his relief. His tail lashed furiously, and he stared ahead at the large tom, waiting for him to challenge his beliefs.

However, the large tom seemed to calm himself slightly before letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry. But I was merely going off past experience. Think of it this way. No matter what, you will never get to go back to your home, but your sister will get to stay. Don't you want her to live that life, even if you can't? The life on the streets is not something I personally would wish on any cat, not even my kin, who were luckier than me," he insisted, his gaze suggesting that he was almost pleading for the two to understand.

Banzai hesitated as he let his fur lay flat, but he still looked despondent. "I-I guess but...will we ever see her again? She's our sister after all," he almost whimpered, and Ed shared his feelings. He didn't want to leave the cat they grew up with. They would be an incomplete trio if they did that.

The large tom shook his head. "I'm sorry. But this is how it's going to be, and always has been. With time, both you two and your sister will come to understand it and live with it. It won't be hard. The best thing for you to do is leave her to come to terms with what has happened, and move on with your own lives."

"But where will we go? We don't know anything about living on the streets!" Banzai protested, gazing around with wide eyes at the Large Twolegplace once more as he recalled what the duo were going to be facing in just a few moments.

"You don't have to worry. You won't be alone," the large tom stepped closer to the duo, a warm, almost loving gaze falling upon them. "My name is Beast, and I will be taking care of you."


	2. Why Can't I?

_**Rapida's POV (Recommended to be read after Chapter Eight)**_

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The river's icy current lay before Rapida, threatening to lap her up and take her away to who knows where. She had just made it across using the stepping stones, but had completely forgotten that the only way to get back to the others was to wade through the water. _There's no way I could do that!_ she thought, wanting to wail anxiously to the skies. She knew that Hunter had said it was impossible to drown because the river wasn't that deep, but Rapida was known for making the impossible possible. It was a blessing and a curse, really.

The outsider dared to glance at the opposite riverbank, where everyone was waiting for her. At first, only Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were looking at her, plus Hunter and Killer of course. Unfortunately, the other trainees seemed to quickly notice who was keeping them from heading back to the alleyway.

Shenzi was staring right at her, and even though she was far away, Rapida knew she was hoping that she would cross before the other outsiders started to say malicious things about her. That she was a wimp, a scaredy-cat, a weakling…Rapida shook her head vigorously to clear away the negative thoughts. She remembered what Shenzi had told her, that there was no harm in trying. All she had to do was try, and even if it didn't work, everything would be fine. _Right?_ It had to be right.

Rapida took a deep breath and stared at the water ahead of her. Even with her new-found courage, the river didn't look any less intimidating. She fought back the urge to imagine herself getting engulfed by the water and carried away by the force of the current. Summoning up as much courage as she could, Rapida forced herself to stick one of her forepaws into the river. As it immediately got soaked and she found that she still hadn't touched the river's bottom, she yanked her paw back to the surface, feeling utterly ashamed. Rapida shut her eyes and flattened her ears against her head. "I can't do it!" she yowled in defeat, though she didn't know if anyone could even hear her from where she stood. She just wanted to shut the world away, to hide under a sleeping monster for all eternity and pretend this day had never happened.

It felt like seasons had gone and passed as she stood there like frightened kit, helpless without its mother. Rapida managed to shut out her surroundings and think in the safety of her own mind. Unfortunately, her mind was filled with nothing but distress. The same question kept repeating in her head, and she had no idea how to answer it. _Why can't I?_

"Rapida…Rapida open your eyes. Look at me," Rapida heard the gentlest voice speak to her oh so quietly, and just the ring of that voice set her mind at peace. She hesitantly opened her eyes to come face to face with her leader. Her eyes were wide open now in pure shock. As soon as her amber eyes met his green eyes, she felt as if she had been flipped upside down. She immediately stared at the ground, unable to meet Hunter's gaze. Rapida feared that he would look impatient, frustrated, and worst of all, disappointed.

However, his voice remained level and soothing as he brought his muzzle to her ear. "You have nothing to fear. I won't let you drown. The river won't take you from me. Just trust me and step into the water," he whispered into her ear in a relaxing meow.

Rapida kept her gaze at her paws, but she nodded in agreement. She couldn't let her leader down after he came to fetch her. Once he stepped back and nodded, the she-cat waded reluctantly into the water, trembling all over. Hunter must've noticed, as he rested his tail on her shoulders in a comforting gesture, causing her to flinch at first. As he led her through the river, Rapida wasn't sure what she felt. She was, though, certain that she didn't fear the water, not if he was there, or anyone for that matter.

When they finally arrived back on the riverbank with the others, Rapida wasn't surprised when Hunter left without saying another word to her. As she pulled herself back onto the shore, she felt stunned, as if she had just realized what had happened. The normally cold, intimidating leader had done something so compassionate. _Why?_ she thought, but pushed the bewilderment away when she heard Shenzi speaking to her. She hadn't even noticed that she approached.

"Rapida, we're heading back now," her friend whispered to her, concern hidden beneath her tone.

For some reason, out of nowhere, Rapida felt really happy. She wasn't afraid anymore. Maybe it was because she had faced her fears, but she didn't think that was it. She didn't know what had made her feel as if her heart skipped a beat, but it didn't matter. "Okay!" she replied to Shenzi, rising to her paws and ready to return home.


End file.
